Long span wings are desirable for commercial aircraft as they are more aerodynamically efficient than shorter wings. Greater aerodynamic efficiency reduces fuel consumption, which reduces operating costs.
Existing airport designs place limits on aircraft wingspan. Airport designs are based on International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Codes A through F, which establish dimensional limits on wingspan, landing gear width, length, etc. For instance, an ICAO Code E airport limits wingspan to less than 65 meters.
A folding wing design may be used to reduce the span of these wings to fit within the limitations of an existing airport's infrastructure (e.g., runways, taxiways, and gate areas). Folding wings may be folded to fit within parking areas and taxiways, and they may be deployed prior to takeoff to increase wing span.
A folding wing design may include a foldable outboard section that is hinged to a fixed inboard section for movement between a stowed position and a deployed position. After being moved to the deployed position, the foldable section is fixed to the fixed section. Wing fold joints may use hinges and latch pins.
In commercial aircraft, high reaction loads may be overcome by increasing the size of the hinges and latch pins. However, these size increases are undesirable because they increase aircraft weight. The increase in weight negates the advantages offered by the long span wings.